https://www.usatoday.com/in-depth/graphics/2023/05/30/from-a-war-zone-to-a-remote-camp-an-illustrated-explanation-of-russias-deportation-of-ukrainians/11477766002/
There was no way out but into the country that destroyed their homes.
Your country has been invaded, and your home has been destroyed. You manage to escape and survive in the basement of a nearby building. Then, one day, there’s a strange voice outside. Soldiers force you out of your shelter and you are directed to a bus, destination unknown. The miles blur beneath the wheels, and at every stop, you are photographed, searched and questioned. Eventually, you are left to fend for yourself in the country that destroyed your home and killed your neighbors. This is the story of Russia's deportation of Ukrainians.
International authorities agree the scope of Russian deportations is vast. The United States estimated that as many as 1.6 million people have been deported. Ukraine’s president
placed the number at 2 million. One human rights organization says the
total could be 4.7 million. The deportees may include hundreds of
thousands of children, and the international criminal court in The Hague
has issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin for these alleged forced deportations.
Some Ukrainians were forced to move into Russian-occupied territory in Ukraine. Others were taken into Russia and, in some cases, placed in camps far on the other side of the country. Each case may be a war crime: Human Rights Watch says unlawful displacement can be by force, or by “fear of violence, duress, detention, psychological oppression or abuse of power.” The group has documented cases of Ukrainians forced out of their homes in Kharkiv and in Mariupol, the city that was under siege for 10 weeks before falling to Russian control in May 2022. Other groups have observed deportations from Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.
For this report, USA TODAY interviewed Ukrainians who were deported
and others who were in close contact with deported relatives in 2022.
Vlad’s family was taken from the basement in Mariupol. Illya went
through the Russian screening known as “filtration.” Natalia tried to
keep tabs on her mother, Olena, who was moved deep inside Russia. To
protect themselves and their relatives and friends inside Russia, all
asked to be identified only by their first names. This story also relies
on accounts documented by Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, the Conflict Observatory and Ukraine 5AM Coalition.